Alabama

9:23 am

Tue August 31, 2004

Judge Orders Cattlemen to Pay Fees

Montgomery, AL – A federal judge has ordered six cattlemen who sued Tyson Fresh Meats to pay the company 70-thousand-dollars in attorneys' fees. The cattlemen originally won a verdict against Tyson, which they claimed was manipulating beef prices. But the verdict was thrown out in April because the judge said the evidence did not support the jury's finding. The cattlemen said they represented thousands when they sued in 1994. The federal jury in Montgomery agreed and recommended Tyson pay one-point-two-eight-billion dollars in damages. Now that the verdict has been overturned, the cattlemen are expected to appeal the decision to the federal appeals court in Atlanta.